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Transport Against HIV/AIDS in China. Christopher R. Bennett EASTE 28 November 2007. Growth in HIV/AIDS in China. Population: 1.3 billion Extent (2007): Adult (15-49) prevalence rate 0.05% 700,000 living with HIV/AIDS 50,000 new HIV/AIDS cases 20,000 AIDS related deaths
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Transport Against HIV/AIDS in China Christopher R. Bennett EASTE 28 November 2007
Population: 1.3 billion Extent (2007): Adult (15-49) prevalence rate 0.05% 700,000 living with HIV/AIDS 50,000 new HIV/AIDS cases 20,000 AIDS related deaths Primarily in Yunnan, Henan, Guangxi, Xinjiang and Guangdong provinces China: HIV/AIDS Statistics
Change in Sources • 2005 • Intravenous drug use: 62% • Plasma donation: 9% • Sexual transmission: 8% • Unknown: 19% • 2007 • Sexual transmission: 41% • Intravenous drug use: 29%
China: Need for Education • 2003 national survey found • 17% of never heard of HIV/AIDS • 77% did not know condoms can prevent transmission • In 2000 estimated 4 – 6 million commercial sex workers • <30% knew condoms protect • <30% perceived themselves at risk
Who is at Risk With Transport? • People at high risk (and their families) include • Construction workers away from home • Employees in long-distance transport • People living along transport routes • Commercial sex workers 42% of truck drivers report indulging in commercial sex while traveling; 33% of those who have casual sex don’t use condomsSurvey results, Poland and Lithuania border areas (World Bank, 2003)
Migrant Workers: China Overview • Some 120 million • Spend 48+ weeks away from families • Working in hard conditions • Construction workers stay in same sex dormitories/camp sites • Little access to HIV/AIDS prevention information and services • Easy targets for drug sellers • Have ample opportunities to interact with commercial sex workers
Migrant Workers: HIV/AIDS • New HIV/AIDS cases disproportionately amongst migrant workers • In some cities migrant workers are largest group of HIV cases: • 61% in Beijing • 61% in Xi’an • 66% in Shanghai
Addressing HIV/AIDS in Transport • Some TTLs included HIV/AIDS as part of environmental management • Position strengthened with new Bank SBDs: • HIV/AIDS education as part of ‘Health and Safety’ clauses • TTLs now have responsibility to ensure HIV/AIDS education programs are undertaken
EAP - Modified SBD Clauses • Bank’s HIV clauses adapted in EAP: • Cater for (1) financed as provisional sum and (2) grant projects • Made clarifications and simplified • Translated, distributed to contractors and monitored in supervision missions
Approach in China • Clients do not see the need for HIV/AIDS education “road construction is my business not promoting condoms” • Unwilling to put major effort into activities • Solution : obtain grant funding as ‘seed’ money • Hire a provider to deliver training • Ensures consistent standard of training throughout project • Minimizes efforts for highway agency (and TTLs)
Work to Date • 2005 – Shiman Highway Project • Funded by $50,000 Global HIV/AIDS Grant • 2006 – Jiangxi III Highway and Inland Waterways V Projects • Funded by $160,000 IDF Grant • 2007 – Liaoning Urban Transport Project • Funded by $20,000 UBW HIV/AIDS Grant
Shiman Highway Project • Typical of expressway projects in China • 107 Km Shiyan-Manchuanguan Expressway (SME) in Hubei, China • About 11,000 Construction workers • 99% males with junior high school education (at best) • Under age of 40 • Away from family 300+ days/year • Over 140 “recreational places” along SME • 500,000 residents in 21 counties and townships
Worker HIV/AIDS Knowledge At start of project: • 16% of were aware of HIV/AIDS transmission methods • 40% thought transmitted by mosquito bites • 71% knew how to use condoms • 35% never and 26% rarely used condoms • 33% knew where to go for HIV/AIDS counseling and blood testing services • 44% had stigmatized attitude towards HIV/AIDS carriers
Three Phases • Develop Program • Co-ordinate with other agencies • Develop materials • Deliver Program • Develop effective intervention plan • Train Educators • Set up VCTs for consultation and testing • Conduct field visits • Evaluate Results • Semi-Annual monitoring • Establish an HIV/AIDS strategy/operational manual for replication in similar projects
HIV/AIDS Intervention Activities • Knowledge Transfer • AIDS-related posters, booklet and playing cards, educational board, movies, etc. • Text messages to all cell phone users • Face to face education to construction workers
HIV/AIDS Intervention Activities • Behavior Change • Set up condom distribution sites & training on proper usage • Activities & trainings at local recreational centers • 100% condom use pilot program • Local VCTs & onsite - consultation and testing
Coverage (end June 2007) • Covered 100% of the project area • Trained • 9,034 construction workers and administrative personnel • 11,897 village people in 132 villages • Set up 7 VCT sites along the expressway • Set up 83 condom sites and educational material sites
Coverage (continued) • Distributed • 49,031 copies of handouts • 17,286 brochures • 2,624 posters • 1,682 AIDS playing cards • 235 banners and slogan • 173 copies of VCDs • 31,452 condoms • 80,000 text messages to all cell phone users
Program Outcomes (Census Data) Year: 2004 2005 2006 STD cases: 2344 1901 1172 Decrease(%): 19% 38%
Program Outcomes (continued) HIV/AIDS Positive*: • 2004: 3 (1 from other region) 2005: 7 (2 from other regions) 2006: 12 (4 from other regions) *(These cases were all past infections, referring to cases infected before 2004)
Program Outcomes (continued) • Increased general awareness among the workers and local residents – • 71.4% in 2005 • 52.2% in 2005 • Condom sales up 10.4% in 2006 over 2005 • No significant change in stigmatized attitude
Lessons Learned to Date • Must include local health department • Project must complement existing activities • Target both workers and residents • Means of intervention do matter – innovations (eg cards, text messaging) • Window of opportunity is brief, get the timing and location right
Lessons Learned (continued) • Focus on behavior change • Train ‘peer educators’ among highly mobile workers • Get government and contractor’s buy-in early • Set practical monitoring indicators – stigmatized attitude will not change overnight
2006 – HIV/AIDS Seminar • Held in Wuhan • Involved 60 domestic and international experts • Discussed ways to raise HIV/AIDS awareness amongst transport workers
What Next? • EAP Transport has adopted a regional HIV/AIDS strategy • Vision: every project have an effective HIV/AIDS campaign • Develop standard approach and education materials • Adapt to each country